Cinnamon Pears in Apple Juice

 No sugar added - 6 pint jars or 3 quart jars

Ingredients: 

• 6 to 9 lbs pears (about 18-27 medium) 
• 3 to 6 sticks cinnamon (one for each jar)
• Ball Fruit-Fresh Produce Protector
• 5 cups unsweetened apple juice 

Prep:

1. Wash pears under cold running water, drain. 
2. Cut pears in half lengthwise, core and peel. 
3. Treat with Fruit-Fresh to prevent darkening 

Cook:

1. Drain pears.
2. Cook pears in a small amount of water, one layer at a time, until hot throughout.
3. Heat the apple juice just to a boil
4. Pack hot pears, cavity side down and layers overlapping leaving 1/2-inch of headspace. 
5. Put one cinnamon stick in each jar
6. Ladle hot juice over pears, leaving 1/2-inch headspace.
7. Remove air bubbles
8. Clean jar rims, place jar lids and tighten bands to fingertip-tight.
9. Place jar on the rack elevated over the simmering water in canner.
10. Repeat until all jars are filled 

Process:

1. Lower the rack into simmering water.
2. Water must cover jar by 1 inch.
3. Adjust heat to medium high and bring to a rolling boil 
4. Process pint jars 20 minutes for pint jars (25 minutes for quart jars)
5. Turn off heat and remove cover
6. Allow to cool for 5 minutes
7. Remove jars from canner placing on clean hand-towel 2 inches appart
8. Do not retighten bands. 
9. Allow to cool unmoved for 12 hours 
10. Test lid seals and replace bands
11. Label and store jars in a cool dark place

Dilly Scapes (Liz)

Clean: 

• Countertops
• Stove
• Sink
• Canner and rack
• Funnel 
• Plastic tool for de-bubbling
• Glass Canning Jars matching lids with bands (1/2 pint size)
• Jar Lifter
• Cutting Board
• Chopping knife
• Hand towels 

 Solution:

• 2 1/2 cups water
• 2 1/2 cups white vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
• 1/4 cup pickling salt

1. Bring solution to a boil stirring regularly. 
2. Then lower heat to just below boiling. 

Jar Ingredients:

• 1 sprig dill
• 1/2 sprig oregano (try lemon tyme?)
• 1 pepper corn
• 1/8 tsp celery seed
• Fresh garlic scapes washed and cut to length for the jar
• optional: 10(ish) granules of Pickle Crisp

Directions:

1. Simmer glass canning jars for 11 minutes. 
2. Remove from canner and place on a clean hand-towel on the counter. 
3. Fill jars (hot) with ingredients above. 
4. Cover the ingredients completely with hot brine using a ladel. 
5. Push extra garlic scapes into the jar until tightly packed and bubbles are eliminated.
6. Wipe the rim and threads of the jar clean and dry. 
7. Put lid onto the jar and finger tighten. 
8. Rolling-Boil jars for 11 minutes covered in a minimum of 1 inch of water. 
9. Turn off the heat and remove the canner lid and allow to cool for 5 minutes. 
10. Remove jars from the canner and place on a clean hand-towel with 2 inches between each jar.
11. Allow to sit, unmoved for 12 hours before tightening the lids.
12. Check that the lids are securely vacuumed then tighten the jar bands
13. Store in a cool dark place for 4-6 weeks to pickle completely and eat within a year for best flavors/textures.